The writers of Encouraging.com are celebrating their fifteen year landmark by making their 365 daily devotional book, God Moments, available as a free digital download! A total of thirty-six GABC writers have faithfully captured “moments of God’s presence” in their lives to encourage your own spiritual journey. You can find God Moments on amazon.com, iTunes, and BarnesandNoble.com.

NIV is used unless otherwise noted.

He Is Risen!

As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.

Mark 16:5-6

After Jesus had died, a follower of Jesus, Joseph of Arimathea, asked Pilate for his body. Joseph and the others took Jesus to a new tomb in a nearby garden. They rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and left. The religious leaders persuaded Pilate to place guards at the tomb.

At dawn on the first day of the week, an angel rolled the stone away from the tomb. The guards were paralyzed with fear, and eventually ran away. The women had come to the tomb to anoint Jesus' body with spices, but he was not there. Mary Magdalene immediately ran to tell Peter and John. After she left, angels appeared to the other women to tell them that JESUS IS RISEN! Those women were instructed to tell the other disciples the good news.

Mary Magdalene found Peter and John, and told them that Jesus body was gone. They ran to the tomb as well. They found only strips of linen grave clothes and then headed back home.

Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping. She peered inside the tomb and saw two angels, who asked her why she was crying. Unaware that she was speaking to angels she replied, "They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him" (John 20:13).

Just then Jesus appeared to her, but Mary was so full of grief that she thought he was the gardener. Only when he said her name did she realize he was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!"(which means Teacher) (John 20:16). Imagine her emotions as her grief tuned into celebration!

On that first Easter morning, just as today, Jesus is alive! The King who defeated death and hell also calls each of us by name. We serve a Risen Savior!Thank you, Jesus, that You save, You live, and You reign! Hallelujah!